U.S. Army Corps of Engineers honors national awards winners

WASHINGTON — U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) staff were honored on Nov. 10 at the organization's National Awards Ceremony. Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, Commanding General and 55th Chief of Engineers, recognized award recipients at the event held in USACE headquarters in Washington, D.C. and virtually.

"None of our initiatives and priorities happen without people. We don't modernize, we don't build readiness, we don't strengthen relationships or revolutionize program and project delivery without people. You are the foundation of all that we do." — Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon

The awards included the Lieutenant General Elvin R. "Vald" Heiberg III Engineer of the Year presented to Daria Van Liew, Lieutenant General John W. Morris Civilian of the Year Award presented to Jennifer A. Moyer, and the USACE Researcher of the Year Award presented to Dr. Scott A. Morton.

See below for a complete list of this year's winners.

Lieutenant General Elvin R. “Vald” Heiberg III Engineer of the Year

Daria Van Liew, Baltimore District

Hard Hat of the Year Award

Rexford Smith Jr., Nashville District

USACE Project Delivery Team of the Year – Excellence

Dupont Chambers Works FUSRAP Project Delivery Team, Philadelphia District

USACE Program Manager of the Year Award

Holly G. Porter, PMP, Vicksburg District

Chief of Engineers Safety Award of Excellence (MSC Category)

U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

Chief of Engineers Safety Award of Excellence (District Category)

Tulsa District

Chief of Engineers Operations and Maintenance Castle Award

Captain Edward Morehouse, New Orleans District

USACE Public Affairs Officer of the Year

Edward “Tom” Conning, Portland District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Manager of the Year

Gerard Henry, Fort Worth District

USACE Researcher of the Year Award

Dr. Scott A. Morton, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Natural Resources Management Employee of the Year Award

Michael L. McCoy, Huntington District

Hiram M. Chittenden Award for Interpretive Excellence (Interpreter of the Year)

Timothy C. Bischoff, St. Louis District

Don Lawyer Award for Regulator of the Year

Katherine A. McCafferty, Alaska District

George Wolfe Koonce Award for Outstanding Attorney of the Year

James Pakiz, Omaha District

The Lester Edelman Spirit of Arrowhead Award for Legal Manager of the Year

Robert McKenney, Middle East District

USACE Outstanding Logistician of the Year

CPT Ethan Kish, 249th Engineer Battalion

Information Management / Information Technology Champion of the Year

Dennis R. Headrick, Far East District

Cyber Security Professional of the Year

Phillip Copeland, USACE Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity Mandatory Center of Expertise

Financial Manager of the Year (Division/HQ Level)

Earl Wilson, South Atlantic Division

Financial Manager of the Year (District Level)

Kimberly Whitley, Little Rock District

USACE Critical Incident Stress Management Peer Supporter of the Year

Enid Carrillo, New Orleans District

Lieutenant General John W. Morris Civilian of the Year Award

Jennifer A. Moyer, Headquarters, USACE

Architect of the Year

Douglas Kohns, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

Bert Pettinato/Barb Lollar Award for Pride in Public Service

Theresa Hampson, Walla Walla District

Lorraine Lee, New York District

Bridge Safety Engineer of the Year

Adrian A. Kollias, Philadelphia District

USACE CAD/BIM Professional of the Year Award

Bryan J. Dirks, St. Louis District

Chief of Engineers CEDL Award

Stephen Brown, Far East District

Civil Responder of the Year – Civilian

Joshua Jimerfield, Sacramento District

Civil Responder of the Year – Military

CPT Douglas A. Ritchie, Los Angeles District

USACE Civilian Graphic Designer of the Year

Jared Eastman, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

USACE Civilian Photographer of the Year

Brigida Sanchez, Jacksonville District

USACE Civilian Videographer of the Year

Brigida Sanchez, Jacksonville District

USACE Civilian Writer of the Year

Kerry Solan, Portland District

USACE Climate Champion Award

Dr. Boris (Dan) Hernandez, Southwestern Division

Commander’s Logistics Excellence Award

249th Engineer Battalion

USACE Communicator of the Year

Mike Glasch, Omaha District

Construction Management Excellence Award

Ryan Sands, Fort Worth District

Control System Engineer of the Year

James Walters III, Louisville District

Cost Engineer of the Year Award

Jim Vermillion, Louisville District

Dam Safety Team of the Year

Dam Safety Communication Training Team, Vicksburg District

Electrical Engineer of the Year

Marshall Miles, Kansas City District

Excellence in IM/IT and Customer Support

Christopher Coleman, Mobile District

E. Manning Seltzer Award for Special Contributions:

Melanie Casner, Headquarters, USACE

John Ballard, Savannah District

Leslie Reed, Europe District

Traci Cunningham, Middle East District

Joseph Rosa, Kansas City District

Bonnie Jagoditz, Nashville District

Allison Brewer, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Nancye Bethurem, North Atlantic Division

Stacy Kassover, Seattle District

Deena Braunstein, Louisville District

Suzy Weil, Memphis District

Brandon Pitcher, Headquarters, USACE

Emergency Manager of the Year

Jessica Fischer, Sacramento District

Environmental Cleanup Award

Fort Ord, CA BRAC Cleanup, Fort Ord BRAC Cleanup Project Delivery Team, Sacramento District

Environmental Quality Award

Rio Chama Habitat Improvement Project, Abiquiu Project Office, Albuquerque District

Enterprise Award for Outstanding Contributions by a Legal Team

Ideker Farms Litigation Team:

Emma Altheide, Kansas City District

Stacey Andreasen, Omaha District

Christina Austin-Smith, Northwestern Division

Stacy Birkel, Omaha District

Lev Blumenstein, Northwestern Division

Daniel Inkelas, Headquarters, USACE

James Pakiz, Omaha District

Jennifer Richman, Northwestern Division

Jana Strait, Kansas City District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – 51C Commissioned Officer of the Year

Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Bisswurm, Alaska District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – 51C Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year

Master Sergeant Shantae Allen, Middle East District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Administrative Contracting Officer of the Year

Bryce Jones, Europe District

2021 Excellence in Contacting Awards – Contract Specialist of the Year Brenda Anderson

Tulsa District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – District/Center of the Year

A. Brian Brobson, Tulsa District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Procurement Contracting Officer of the Year

Brian Hutchison, Tulsa District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Procurement Analyst of the Year

Khristina Sandoval, Southwestern Division

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Special Action Award: Contracting Professional of the Year and/or Team of the Year

Priscilla Sweeney, Memphis District

2021 Excellence in Contracting Awards – Team of the Year

Tonju Samuels – Pre-Award Division, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

Fire Protection Engineer of the Year

Vu Nguyen, Louisville District

Flood Risk Manager of the Year

Paul Sclafani, Portland District

Geospatial Professional of the Year

Julie Vicars, Vicksburg District

Green Innovation Sustainability Award

Energy and Sustainability Analysis for Operational Readiness Training in Germany, Paul McCarty and Team, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

Human Resources Professional of the Year

Victor Gallegos, Headquarters, USACE

Human Resources Specialist of the Year

Karyn Coe, North Atlantic Division

HH&C Professional of the Year Award

Angela M. Duren, Northwestern Division

IM/IT Excellence in Organizational Support Team

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center Advanced Threat and Simulation Team:

Joseph Nelson

Alan Schuld

Robert Swartzwelder

Andrew Hendrix

Michael Gray

Christopher Kelley

Brennan Sweeney

Hannah Theisen

Christopher Rials

David Kalohi

IM/IT Partner Team of the Year Information Technology Service Management Office (ITSMO):

Roy Abbott

Jamie Barrentine

Matt Bartley

Adrian Bates

Kerry Cole

Ed Dorsey

Kim Duda

Lori Kennedy

William Kennedy

Thomas Leith

Karl Wagner

Adrian Bates

Buddy Sparrow

Christy Huskey

USACE Innovation of the Year Award Robotic Assessment of Closure Gates for Safe Entry (DamBot) Team

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

USACE Innovation of the Year Award Resource Management Business

Practices Division (BPD) Team, U.S. Army Engineering and Support Center, Huntsville

USACE Innovation of the Year Award

Louisville District/Nashville District/Pittsburgh District: The New Lock at the Soo-New Lock Chamber, BIM Modeling Team, Great Lakes and Ohio River Division

USACE Innovation of the Year Award

uCOP BIM-GIS Integration Platform Team, North Atlantic Division

USACE Innovator of the Year Award

Ruben A. Campos, Southwestern Division Innovator, Total Record of Acquisition Capacity (TRAC), Southwestern Division

USACE Innovator of the Year Award

James Calnon, Portland District Innovator, Hydroelectric Design Center (HDC), Northwestern Division

USACE Installation Stakeholder

Professional of the Year, Brian L. Dosa, Fort Hood

USACE Installation Support

Professional of the Year, Andrew G. Rajala, Far East District

Interior Designer of the Year

Heather Kimbrow, Fort Worth District

Joseph W. Kimbel Award for Professional Potential:

Aaron Bloemsma, South Atlantic Division

James Purcell, Galveston District

Katherine Lemon, Headquarters, USACE

Vinai Vinlander, St. Paul District

Keystone Award for Exceptional Service and Contributions

John Thorpe, Los Angeles District

Lauren Turner, Headquarters, USACE

Landscape Architect of the Year

Gary A. Harden, Kansas City District

Levee Safety Professional of the Year

Katelyn Noland, Levee Safety Center

Levee Safety Team Award of Excellence

Walla Walla District Levee Safety Team, Walla Walla District

Mechanical Engineer of the Year

Shawn Crossfield, Baltimore District